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Conceptual Approaches

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Bangladesh's Leather Industry

Part of the book series: Springer Geography ((SPRINGERGEOGR))

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Abstract

The theoretical framework of this study draws on the global value chain (GVC) perspective that is complemented by considerations of informality, subcontracting and middlemen to explore and to uncover the informal dynamics in inter-firm linkages at the lowest end of the leather value chain. Strategies to overcome development constraints are drawn from the debate on economic upgrading in GVCs and embedded in the institutional context to achieve sustained competitiveness. Given its limited practicability, the global production networks (GPN) approach is deemed inappropriate for the extent of this study, although its notion of power, being negotiated in social interaction regardless of the firm’s position in the chain, has been integrated. In the end of this section four research questions are outlined to analyse the complexities of inter-firm relationships in Bangladesh’s leather industry, their informal dynamics and potential strategies to overcome structural constraints and to reposition themselves within GVC governance.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Of eight possible combinations three are excluded for being unlikely. See for a detailed discussion Gereffi et al. (2005, p. 87/88).

  2. 2.

    For a detailed discussion on international purchasing offices see Jia et al. (2013), Sartor et al. (2014).

  3. 3.

    Amendments in Table 2.3 are displayed in italics.

  4. 4.

    With asymmetric power relationships being an essential feature of global buyer-supplier relationships, issues of social and environmental upgrading have increasingly come to the fore (Barrientos et al. 2010; Jeppesen and Hansen 2004; Tewari and Pillai 2005). As a matter of fact, economic upgrading does not necessarily bring about social and environmental improvements (see Barrientos et al. 2010). It is, however, beyond the scope of this study to expand on the complex relations between economic, social and environmental upgrading. Environmental (e.g. central effluent treatment plant) and social issues (e.g. compliance with firm’s or international standards) will only be taken into account in relation to economic upgrading, that is, where the firm’s or industry’s competitiveness is affected (see Section “Assistance in social compliance”).

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  1. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Joseph Strasser

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Strasser, J. (2015). Conceptual Approaches. In: Bangladesh's Leather Industry. Springer Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22548-7_2

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